Addazio's love of the Cape and other links

Greg Joyce is no longer a BC student, but he's still writing about the Eagles. In this feature, he spends time with Steve Addazio on the Cape. I know I should be cynical about this stuff, but I really do feel that Addazio is where he wants to be. I don't know if BC was really his "dream job" more than UConn or even Syracuse, but I think being in New England and near his family will make this  job and rebuild all that more special to him.

When he's done with his summer vacation, Addazio will head back to Bristol for ESPN's Car Wash. Addazio will be part of the ACC contingent on July 30.

Andre Williams is a preseason Doak Walker candidate.

Momah keeps earning good mentions out of Philly's camp.

Tweets of the Week

reppin' BC from the tallest peak in the Rockies at 14,440ft! #eagles #superfan #MtElbert @BostonCollege pic.twitter.com/gTWAOnCJ15

— Luisa J (@LueJae) July 18, 2013

Joe Tessitore's tone and pronunciation of the phrase "player hating" is the best thing to happen to college football all offseason.

— Rock M Nation (@rockmnation) July 17, 2013

Spurrier sees Muschamp's "Ohio" jab and raises a "Notre Dame to the ACC." The master has arrived.

— George Schroeder (@GeorgeSchroeder) July 16, 2013

It's a shame to see ppl's reaction on twitter. There is no victory when there's loss of life

— Damien Woody (@damienwoody) July 14, 2013

So grateful I was able to share the Cup with my family, friends, and @WestminsterCT and @BCHockeyNews families yesterday. Special thanks...

— Ben Smith (@BenASmith12) July 17, 2013

The Cup, NCAA Trophies, and Mista Jerry Yawk. Good pic for Connecticut's Ben Smith #cawlidgehawkey #BCHawkey pic.twitter.com/ucDjNByXsv

— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) July 17, 2013

The ACC announces new bowl deal; none of it matters for BC

The ACC unveiled its new bowl deals. Orange, Russell, Music City, Sun, and Charlotte return. The Gator Bowl is back and we are now part of the Pinstripe Bowl. The Peach Bowl is gone because it has been promoted to the new playoff, however, the ACC will get its No. 2 team in the Citrus Bowl any year the Big Ten No. 2 is in the Orange Bowl. From a PR and recruiting standpoint, this is probably neutral for the conference. We lost the Peach but will likely get the Citrus more often than not. But none of it matters for BC and ultimately I don't think it will matter much for most ACC teams.

BC fans shouldn't care because we are still in an Orange Bowl or bust mindset. BC is never going to be picked by any of the other bowls unless the bowl is forced. In good years we will go to Charlotte. In bad to El Paso or the Bronx. Does that really make a difference to anyone? If anything I think most BC fans would prefer the less prestigious Pinstripe Bowl over El Paso anyway.

Most ACC teams shouldn't care about this much either. This current bowl cycle deal is for six years. I doubt it will even need to be that long. I predict the playoff will be such success and such a form of controversy that it will expand to eight teams within three years and it will probably expand to 12 within five years. Once the playoffs become that big, the bowls will be a shell of themselves.

Until the bowls die, I just want to see BC in one again. That should be our only care and focus.

UConn-BC official and other links

Once we knew that both BC and UConn were in the 2k Classic, an official pairing seemed inevitable. The organizers agreed and the two former Big East foes will face off in the Semis. I know none of the current players, coaches or ADs share the bad blood, but the fans still do. I hope we win convincingly. Not only will it mean some revenge, but it will also be a huge RPI win for a BC team that will probably need one. 

Sarah Marshall Ryan took a job with the Atlanta Dream. 

Austin Tedesco's preseason basketball coverage continued with a Q&A with Anderson and Hanlan. 

Experience pays off for college QBs. Let's hope it holds true for Rettig.

BC is doing a good job of getting our players on the PreSeason Watch lists. Amidon made the Biletnikoff list.

Luke Kuechly can jump.

Crazy Predictions: A Season Preview. We will have more sacks this year than the last three combined

Having been at this a long time, I try to keep things fresh. For this year's Season Previews I am going to make a few outlandish predictions based on my hunches. 

If I had just said we would outdo the last two years (6 and 11 sacks respectively) it would not be that crazy. But if you include Spaz's 2010 season our three season sack total is 37 sacks. For a group that only produced 6 all of last year, that is a big jump. And it is not like the incoming talent is making me so optimistic. My expectations are high for one reason: Don Brown. 

I started my previews focusing on Rettig, since I believe that he is the primary key for the year. A close second is our new defensive coordinator. If we are going to surprise people this year, we need Don Brown to make lemonade out of the lemons guys left behind by Spaz. I think he can do it. His defenses at UConn carried their team and he was respectable in his stint in Maryland. My lasting memory though is his 2007 UMass team frustrating Matt Ryan with varied blitzes and pressure.

Now just because Brown likes to pressure QBs, doesn't mean sacks are just going to happen. Someone has to make the actual tackle. That is where my prediction gets a little fuzzy. At UConn the LBs were able to break through and get pressure. So you have assume that someone with a little speed like KPL will be effective. I also think Duggan will get some on delays or just straight pressure up the middle. As for the DLine. If Ramsey stays healthy, he can create big holes. Edebali is a great effort guy (who just never seems to get there in time). Maybe in the new world he will be more productive. Our corners will be playing closer to the line of scrimmage, so ALJ and Jones should get a sack or two. 

UConn had 33 sacks last year, so getting to 38 is not unthinkable. BC plans on being aggressive on both sides of the ball, so I expect teams to try to throw on us (a lot). If Brown does a lot with a little, I will be very excited about the future when he gets his own players on the field. 

The aggressiveness will lead to some big mistakes this year but the days of bend but don't break are finally over.

Morrissey to Michigan State and other links

Based on how his recruitment the past few weeks, it is no surprise that Matt Morrissey picked Michigan State. The only real reason it is news is that it is rare for Addazio not to close a kid like this. Morrissey is the younger brother of former BC linebacker Mike Morrissey. But we lost out to a program he also had ties to and a program in the Midwest.

Austin Tedesco posted a really good preview of the basketball team. I am a big believer in experience and the raw numbers are staggering in BC's case. Donahue needs to turn that experience into wins.

Divitto is on the Butkus watch list. I don't think any of our defensive players are going to get enough tackles to get national awards.

ESPN's Adelson broke down BC's schedule. She thinks we should get to about five wins.

BC is one of the most popular Universities on Instagram.

Meyer's mouthpiece subtly points finger at Addazio

A Florida writer who was embedded with the Gators during Urban Meyer's run in Gainesville is now coming to his defense. The post is long and touches on many of the criticisms lobbed at Meyer, but the reason for the defense starts and ends with Aaron Hernandez. What I find interesting is that the writer is now saying Meyer was against recruiting Hernandez and only did so after an assistant persuaded him.

This is what I learned about how Hernandez got to Florida. He was recruited by an assistant coach from Connecticut, who knew of his checkered past.

Meyer balked at recruiting him. Partly because one of his assistant coaches was so passionate about signing Hernandez and partly because he became convinced “the mission” could change him, Meyer recapitulated.

The writer, Buddy Martin, knows that Steve Addazio was the "assistant coach from Connecticut." So would most of the readers and college football fans. You can even look at Hernandez's recruiting profile to see that Addazio was his recruiter. Yet he doesn't name him. Why? Because he knows it is not fair to blame Addazio for Hernandez. But Meyer still wants to shield himself and look innocent. That's been his modus operandi for a long time...even if he points the blame at his loyal and long-time assistant. Nothing is ever Urban Meyer's fault and god forbid he doesn't control every aspect of his image.

I can't speak to how things were run in Florida, but I don't blame Steve Addazio. I also don't blame Addazio  (or even Meyer) for Hernandez's murdering someone now. Hernandez is an adult acting on his own. Do we blame Kraft or Belichick? No one could have predicted things would end this way.

Addazio recruited Hernandez because he was in his territory and he was a great player. BC recruited him too but he didn't give us the time of day (and it was our TOB-Jags transition class).

I don't know if Addazio cares about what Meyer's defenders are doing, but throwing him under the bus even if it is by geography (Connecticut assistant) rather than name is a cowardly move. I hope Martin and/or Meyer apologize to Addazio.

BC still a cheap ticket and other links

BC is still one of the least expensive BCS game day experiences. As you can see, the list is filled with ACC teams. I am sure some of you might want to know more about the list's methodology (did parking and donations factor in? student seats?), but it shows BC still offers value. In my opinion we don't market the value enough given how expensive other sporting events are in the Boston area.

BC has an offer to Florida QB Sean White, but I don't expect him to be the our second QB.


Sailors Molly Clarke and Kelly Roy earned ICSA All-Academic honors.

Tweets of the Week

#SharkNado the movie wasn't as good as the book was.

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) July 12, 2013

RT @TroyBellS2P: Watching an old #BC #Uconn game lol #tbt http://t.co/HwepU1eSdN

— Heights Sports (@HeightsSports) June 20, 2013

I stand by my earlier statement - Reggie Jackson shouldn't be playing in the Summer League. That said, what a awesome performance. #WeAreBC

— Mike Gib (@HoyaEagle) July 9, 2013

New Celtics coach has an at first confusing Twitter handle for #BCEagles fans: @BCCoachStevens

— Austin Tedesco (@TedescoHeights) July 6, 2013

#BCEagles commit Ty Schwab has received an offer from Maryland. His response? "I'm with BC. I'm not going anywhere." http://t.co/Bp0jBChspc

— Heights247 (@BCEagles247) July 9, 2013

Great to see @BostonCollege alum & @nflcolts OT @GosderCherilus giving back to his community in Somerville, MA: http://t.co/pqis14lGg3

— Warren K. Zola (@WarrenKZola) July 9, 2013

TV Coverage of our lower-level games just got way better

One consistent complaint all of us share is the lack of preparation many broadcasters have when covering BC. Names are mispronounced. Generalizations and stereotypes about BC and Boston are embraced. It has  become funny because it is so frustrating. The further down the TV scale you go, often the worse it gets. There is good news on the horizon though as Wes Durham will now cover ACC football and basketball for Fox Sports South.

Most of you don't know or care about Durham, but he is the radio voice of the Falcons and has been the radio voice of Georgia Tech for the past 18 years. He's also hosted one of the best college football radio shows I've ever heard. Wes calls a great game and also does his homework. I've heard him talk about BC repeatedly and he doesn't just regurgitate the standard cliches.

Because his contract is with Fox Sports South, he will probably call a fair bit of BC games as we rebuild. ESPN and Raycom will still pick the first four ACC games each week, leaving Fox Sport South the right to pick the fifth or sixth game (which Wes will call). Those games will then be available on your respective regional Fox Sports Cable affiliate.

A mediocre broadcaster doesn't ruin a game, but a great one can make it better. I don't know how our team will play, but having a few Wes Durham calls ahead is something to look forward to.

Freese on Groza list and other links

On a slow news day, Nate Freese making the Groza list makes for headlines. I am glad BC is supporting the effort, but I don't think Nate score enough to win the award.

Story behind D.J. Gillens' switch from BC to Wisconsin shows how fickle the recruiting process can be.

The Flames are patiently waiting for Gaudreau.

I did not realize the Colts paid a premium to sign Emmett Cleary as an undrafted free agent. That doesn't mean he is a lock to make the team though.

For those who missed it, here is CBS's Morning Show's piece on former BC assistant Don Horton. Horton suffers from Parkinson's and his wife has built a business around shirts that he can button via magnets.

Crazy Predictions: A Season Preview. Part 1: Chase Rettig will be All ACC

Having been at this a long time, I try to keep things fresh. For this year's Season Previews I am going to make a few outlandish predictions based on my hunches. 

Chase Rettig put up decent numbers but nothing that hints at greatness. Yet as the season nears, I am predicting a breakout or more a culmination of all his trials and tribulations. I think he makes an All ACC team this year (likely second team). No one expects this given our new coach and terrible offense. This is why I am optimistic:

-- Not so new offense. At this point Rettig is used to learning new offenses. The difference this year is that he already has a relationship with his OC. Vernacular might be different. The devotion to the run game might be new, but BC is still going to pass. We have to as it is only thing we know we can do. I expect Rettig will still put up good yardage numbers, but think the running game focus will help his completion percentage, sacks and turnovers.
-- The new staff loves him. That's the word on the street anyway. I think that confidence and aggressiveness will lead to improved play. It will also lead to influencing ACC voters. If the coaches are talking him up and he is backing it up with decent numbers, Rettig will get some "All ACC" love.
-- The other ACC QBs are not good. Who is really going to finish ahead of him? Boyd is probably first team, but are there any greats ready to fill the void around the conference? I like Rettig's chances. If we get to six wins, he is a lock for All ACC.

If you can't already tell, I am getting very optimistic about this season. I had the same optimism about Rettig last year but he couldn't overcome Spaz. Now he is a year older and wiser. He's seen it all. I think that experience does slow the game down and makes things easier for him. Throw in an aggressive mindset and I think you'll see more productivity and improved efficiency.

No on Gillins, yes on Wilson

D.J. Gillins verballed to Wisconsin. Since he would've been the second QB, I don't view it as a huge loss. He would've been more of a nice to have. The question is where does BC go for its second QB? We know that Addazio is pushing to fill out the class. Rivals lists plenty of uncommitted guys as still interested in BC. Lots of speculation is going around. Miles Wright and JuJuan Lawson are favorites and John Wolford is still out there as a potential target.

The good news is that it was still a busy day for BC recruiting. Michigan Running Back Richard Wilson committed to Addazio. Wilson is not an elite recruit, but does add some nice depth. He might play on the defensive side of the ball based on how the class shakes out.

Gillins set to decide

Monday will be a critical day for BC's recruiting. Florida QB D.J. Gillins is supposed to announce his decision. Based on recruiting efforts, BC will take two QBs in this class. The second slot is Gillins now. He's a talented dual-threat who could push for playing time the moment he steps on campus.

Most experts think it is down to BC and Wisconsin. If Gillins is a badger, BC will move quickly on some other potential QBs. 

Thoughts on SI's Addazio article

I am sure most of you have read SI's behind the scenes article on Addazio's first recruiting class. It is great publicity for the program and provides an interesting look at how Addazio is attacking our talent issues head on (since he is his own recruiting coordinator). These are a few of the things that stood out to me:

-- Addazio is more than just "rah, rah" and high energy. There is some simple sales strategies and statistics at work here and that is a good thing. I don't know if this is his original thought or he is adapting from other coaches whom he worked under, but having X amount of prospects that require X amount of contact and calls per week is familiar to anyone who has worked in Sales before. You are never going to close every deal in football or business, so you need enough prospects lined up to reach your goals. It is a simple concept, but one that has been lacking around BC. Too often the past four years we went from our A List to our C List without any rhyme or reason in between.
-- Institutional guys are buying in. Most programs have a few coaches and guys who have been around a while and have seen many come and go. BC has two on staff now in Kevin Lempa and Al Washington. Both have been part of multiple BC regimes and know what works and doesn't. Both are quoted in the article and seem to be enjoying the new culture.
-- #beadude is going to get played to the hilt this fall by the media. I like the idea behind Don Brown's viral hash-tag. But as we know a good thing can become a tired cliche when we hear about it every week. I predict it will get mentioned weekly in our games and will be all over the feature articles this fall. I will try to keep from rolling my eyes as long as recruiting is going strong. I also expect Brown's magic to keep us competitive this fall. I do feel for him that he didn't trademark the phrase as it will be on signs and t-shirts in the near future.
-- High School Coaches talking about Spaz. The contrast in John DiBiaso's (Everett) and Greg Toal's (Don Bosco) comments about our former staff were telling. DiBiaso was more candid in saying the former was "all over the place." While Toal didn't defend Spaz, he did point out Spaz's success as a defensive coach. This is all validation of what most of us thought -- things were a mess under Spaz. And his staff not being cohesive was also a byproduct of the AD having influence in who was hired and who was not. None of us know if Addazio will succeed but I think it is clear he is in control. I also like that his "energy" is translating to critical high school coaches and players.

Tweets of the Week

Syracuse is still mad at BC for being picked ahead of them at the ACC Prom.
— William Kristoph (@ScalpEmOfficial) July 2, 2013

Here's A Collection Of Photos Of Jim Boeheim Looking Disinterested During #ACCinNYC http://t.co/O5FZH59lEJ
— Sean Keeley (@NunesMagician) July 2, 2013

Pretty sure ACC lifted its talking point of "football potential" straight from a 2005 Big East press release.
— Chas Rich (@ChasRich27) July 1, 2013

Just got done working out.. Wanted to thank all the FANS in phx!!! U guys have been so good to me.. Ill never forget my time with you guys
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) July 2, 2013

Congratulations to @BUCoachStevens on new position as head coach of the @Celtics! Welcome to Boston!
— Steve Donahue (@Coach_Donahue) July 3, 2013

Happy Fourth

Soaring previews and other links

If you haven't been following Soaring To Glory's numeric previews, you need to use the Fourth to catch up. Here is 59.

It looks like the Sabres are going to release former BC star Nathan Gerbe.

Matt Ryan and Tom Condon have a chance to get Matt a massive new contract. But I do expect Matt to take a cap-friendly deal so Atlanta can keep surrounding him with talent.

Here is a good preview of Maryland. How was BC not the low-point of last season?

Hughes to Oklahoma and other links

Former BC baseball coach Pete Hughes -- who recently survived a heart attack -- is leaving Virginia Tech to coach Oklahoma. From a baseball perspective, this is a major step up. It is also a huge salary boost. When Hughes left BC, it was because he wanted to go to a program with a commitment to baseball. He turned those resources into a Virginia Tech NCAA tournament appearance. I don't think many of us realized what Hughes would accomplish after he left BC. Best of luck to him and I hope that if BC makes a commitment to baseball, we will finally end our current tailspin.

Jared Dudley was part of a huge, three-team trade in the NBA. He's now a Los Angeles Clipper. I am sorry for the BC Club of Phoenix, since Dudley was a nice presence locally and was fairly active. But for Jared this is great news. He joins a team that wants him and returns to Southern California. The Clippers should be one of the better teams in the West and Jared will get to be a critical contributor again. Los Angeles is not a bad place to build your growing media career too.

BCEagles.com posted a Q&A with former star Victoria DiMartino.

Rettig respect? and other links

I've read multiple previews that put Chase Rettig at the bottom of ACC QB Rankings. Even if you don't think much of him, I don't think his track record should put him at the bottom. Thankfully this post puts him in the middle of the ACC pack. I will have my QB preview later this week, but I think Rettig is a pro prospect and one of the better QBs in the ACC.  But all BC fans should prepare themselves for Chase's stats to decline this year. It won't be him though. It will be our offense.

Temple fans are not as enamored with Addazio's Vines and catch phrases as BC fans are.

Recent commit Ty Schwab says he's been a BC fan since he was a little kid.

Minnesota basketball transfer Joe Coleman will not becoming to BC.